Rower Cracknell joins classical race

Britain's Olympic champion rower James Cracknell was back in action today, at the Gramophone Record of the Year Awards.

Cracknell, 32, was one of six celebrities, including broadcaster John Simpson and actress Joanna Lumley, at the announcement of the finalists at the Mandarin Hotel, London.

He is backing Grieg and Schumann Piano Concertos, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, to win.

Cracknell admitted he was not an avid classical music fan but said music had motivated him during his training for the Olympics, right up to the last minutes before that nail-biting final.

He said: “I do not claim to be anything other than a casual listener to classical music, but I am an absolute fan of any type of music because of the emotions that it can get out of you.

“It can relax, inspire or even get you ready for a race, like it did for me in the Olympics.

“Music in any form is a magical thing, I think.”

As well as Cracknell, Simpson and Lumley, presenter Natasha Kaplinski, politician Michael Portillo and actor Simon Callow all attended the event and will be championing records until the winner is announced in October.